A Conversation With: Carrie B Cottrill

Welcome to this installment of The Wellness Universe’s ‘A Conversation With …’ interview series! Each week, we will feature interviews from some of our amazing WU World Changers so you can learn about who they are as a person, their profession, mission, and their why!’

Welcome to A Conversation with Carrie B Cottrill.

Carrie B Cottrill, known by her clients as Carrie B, the wild child!

1. Hello Carrie, will you please tell us about yourself?

I started my yoga practice in 1990 when I owned an Aveda Salon. The founder of Aveda had written a book called, “Rejuvenate.” So I ordered it and read it front to back immediately. Although I was teaching stretch classes at a gym 8 times a week, it wasn’t yoga. I saw pictures of what was called “asanas.” So I set out to find more information. I was lead to ONE other book at the bookstore and taught myself yoga following the guidelines of that book. Then I needed a teacher. I asked all my hair clients and was finally lead to a gal who taught Iyengar yoga. She became my teacher until I was able to find other teachers. Which lead to many other teachers.

That is when my real journey began.

I studied at the Himalayan Institute and did an intensive program with ISHA yoga and am an initiate of both. Switching gears, I sold the salon, became a stay-at-home mother of 2 boys for 6 ½ years, finished my bachelor’s degree then went on to get my master’s degree in Fine Arts Classroom Teaching and have taught art in the public sector for 10 years. When I resigned from a school in 2012 and while teaching students, I came up with the idea of Meditate to Create; My dream class! I never thought it would take 10 years to develop and plan but it’s now in full-forward motion and we have a tremendous amount of fun in our classes.

2. Carrie, what is it that inspires you?

I am completely inspired by teaching yoga and art classes and living intentionally or what is also known as Mindfulness. I also make yoga-inspired jewelry that sells nationwide, even to other countries!

3. Will you please tell us what you call yourself and explain what it is that you do?

I call myself Carrie B, the yogini artist. I teach yoga private and group sessions in person and online. Same with meditation and pranayama (breathing) classes plus the painting classes. Again, after 10 years, my Meditate to Create© program has taken off so I teach group sessions where we meditate for 15 minutes then indulge in either a painting chosen by the host or paint intuitively. Although the host may choose a particular painting, all paintings either come out completely different than what I’m teaching, or they do their own thing and that’s ok! I encourage it. It’s about each participant and what moves them when sitting at the easel.

4. How exactly does that help someone?

It engages their creative juices by the concentration of their meditation or lack thereof. Ultimately, we learn simple and effective methods to break the buildup of stress, develop a steadfast mindset in the midst of external and internal distractions, improve mental attitudes that alleviate conflict and stabilize physical well-being as a source of mental clarity, and creativity.

5. Why are you so passionate about the Meditate to Create© program of what you do?

I want my clients to develop self-expression, ignite the fire within, learn to relax while creating and live freely, by flowing in the moment.

6. Did a specific life experience prompt you to follow this path?

Not one thing in particular. Being a yoga and art teacher (and an artist), it just all came together as a whole.

7. How long have you been doing this?

I started teaching yoga in 1994 and my artist abilities started to develop at a community college in 1986.

8. Will you share a story as to how you made a difference in someone’s life?

I could share so many, but I think I’ll leave that for a whole other story/blog, as it’s quite extensive.

9. What is next on the horizon for you?

To make the lessons available online already recorded so they can purchase a particular session and keep it for eternity, look back at any given time to practice or spark a fire for their creative juices.

10. Thank you so much for sharing today! Do you have any final thoughts?

Yes, my tagline is, “Illuminating Lives Through the Yoga of Art and Intentional Living” and that’s what I want to convey to all who choose to participate; I call it, “Inspired by Desire!”

– The Wellness Universe

If you would like to connect with Carrie B, please visit: https://www.thewellnessuniverse.com/world-changers/carriebcottrill/

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